Meet You at the Fountain
by The Random Protector
Summary: If you need to meet with someone, meet them at the fountain. If they're truly faithful, they will be there.


**Meet You at the Fountain**

She was always his. Ever since she had rubbed his pink belly, he had made a promise to stay with her forever. He never had a problem keeping up with her. Sometimes, he had to slow himself down to keep pace with her. Her eyes lit up whenever she saw him and she would just radiate with joy. He had overheard her parents one night saying how perfect the two of them were together. It had confused him then although he was not sure why.

He did not know when he had started walking out to the park. She passed it every day she went out to the thing she called school. She would laugh when she spotted him and he would low in greeting. He would be saddened that she was alone and tried to meet her closer to the huge building. She would shake her head, smiling always, and lead him back to the park to sit by the fountain. _You come here and wait for me here. I'll meet you right by this fountain._

Grudgingly, he agreed. Often, while waiting, he would dip his tail in the clear water. Half the time he never remembered why he did it but it made her laugh when she finally appeared. Sometimes she would splash him and a small war would commence. Both of them would be soaking wet when they finally walked home. That had ended when she had fallen too ill to be moved out of bed. There had been fear throughout the house. He could see it on her parents' faces.

She would just smile when he tried to apologize. Her small hands would shut his mouth and she would pull out her favorite book and read to him. He finally had to stop trying because she would hear none of it.

When she had been well enough to return to school, the routine began again. He met her at fountain in rain, sleet or shine. Once again, she would smile when she saw him. She was slower and sometimes it would be an hour before she rounded the bend in the sidewalk. He did not mind, it gave her time to tell him what had happened that day. He listened intently, smiling at her happy voice.

Then she had fallen.

That moment haunted him, watching her stumble and crash. He got his shoulder underneath her, trying to shove her back to her feet. A number of people had surrounded them, talking loudly. She clung to him, breathing heavily. Someone had tried to get her back on her feet but she refused to let go of him. Sirens and klaxons blasted the air and he lowed, panicking. _You're all right_, he remembered her saying. _I'll…I'll meet you at the fountain._ Men in white had lifted her up and placed her in the screaming box. He had attempted to follow her but lost sight of it in seconds. He screamed, panting as he tried to find it.

He sat silently by the fountain, tail resting in the cold water. The sun had started to set and the small lampposts were glowing like stars. Every new footfall would make his ears perk up and he would sit up straighter, waiting for her to walk over and smile. It was never her though.

The moon was high above him when he looked up at the first footfalls in over an hour. He lowed at her father, looking for her around the tall man. When he could not find her in her pretty yellow dress, he looked up at the worn face. _Get in the car._ He shook his head, rump seated on the fountain. She would meet him here and he did not want to miss her. _Dammit, get in the car._ The man tried dragging him off but he gripped the lip of the stone. _Get in the car!_ He held on tighter, lowing and kicking out with his stubby legs. He suddenly let go, nearly sending him into the water. Grunting, he turned around and stared at the man collapsed on the ground. His body was shaking, hands covering his face. Gingerly, he stepped down and placed his paw on the man's knee.

She did not return home for several days. They had tried locking him in the house to keep him from walking to the fountain but he had figured out the locks. Her father ended up driving out to the park every night to fetch him. Most of the time it was silent between the two of them. One night he had sat beside him on the stone, staring straight ahead. He had talked, rambled on about the week. He had listened although he did not understand half of it. The man's voice cracked and he would pause, sucking in air before continuing.

_They don't know._ He looked up, watching tears roll down the ragged face. _They don't know_, he repeated, lowering his head. He settled closer, leaning his head against the trembling shoulder.

He danced in joy when she returned home. She had not met him at the fountain but he would forgive her. She smiled at him like always as her father carried her to her room. He crawled into the bed with her, lowing happily. Laughing, she reached over and grabbed the book, reading to him where they had left off. Several times she would stop and catch her breath and he finally took the book from her when her hands shook.

A forced happiness drifted in the air as the weeks dragged on. There were times when, after she had gone to sleep, he would wander out to get a drink of water and find her parents holding each other. Sometimes it would be quiet, other times sobs would echo in the bright room. Every time she was taken to the 'clinic', she would come back exhausted but smiling. Her parents would always smile back but their eyes were sad.

He saw her falter in her joy only once. Her entire face fell as she ran a hand through her hair and held several strands. She stared at it for several seconds, fingers clenching on the lost strands before she relaxed. A laugh bubbled out and she leaned down to hug him. _You like me no matter what._ He agreed, nuzzling her and she giggled.

She woke him one morning, pale and breathless. He groaned, nudging her but she held his face back and rubbed his ears. _Meet me at the fountain, okay?_ Only when he nodded did she smile again. They took her away that morning, locking him alone in the house.

He worked the locks, wandered out to the park at the time he had always gone out. He took his place at the fountain again, breathing in the sweet summer air. There were children running about, several staring at him. Others said hello cheerily to him but he could sense sadness in their voice.

Night fell and the moon reached high above him. Her father never came. He did not remember when he fell asleep but morning was on him when he opened his eyes. Yawning, he sat up and looked around. A small dish had been set beside him with the kibbles he liked best. He ate slowly, his eyes watching the sidewalks for her.

The people around him were friendly as they passed by. Several left a small bit of food in his dish as they passed, rubbing his head. Sometimes he would walk around the fountain to stretch his legs out but he would return to his spot when he heard someone approaching.

He did not know how many days had passed when her father walked up to him. The night was cold and he wagged his tail in greeting. The man's jaw clenched, hands clutching her book. He sat stiffly by him, opening to the page they had stopped on. His voice was harsh and shaking as he read but he would not stop. Tears disappeared into the rough stubble, finally appearing on the page where they sank into the paper. His frame shook as the last word died on his lips and he stared at the last page intensely. _Gone,_ he finally said and threw the book to the ground. He lowed, racing to retrieve it. _She's gone and she's not coming back!_ Carefully, he set the book right and made sure the pages were unharmed. Her father screamed at him and he could not understand the words as they ran together. He stared back, unmoved until the man fell to his knees in front of him, lost and hurt. He nudged the man's hand, leaning against him.

It was no better back at the house. Her mother barely acknowledged him and merely stared at the wall where a picture of them hung. He carried the book gingerly in his mouth and went to her room. Climbing up into the empty bed, he placed the book on her pillow and curled up in his spot.

A new routine started. He wandered out to the fountain every afternoon, sitting for hours until the stars burned brightly. Her father would come out to fetch him every night, every time berating him for waiting. _She's gone,_ he finally raged one night. _You can sit here all you want but she's not coming back_. He left him there that night and, when he woke up the next morning, his bowl was by his side again. He never saw either parent after that.

Food was plentiful though as the park regulars brought him snacks throughout the days. A friendly guard would often stand by him with an umbrella when it poured. At one point, some mothers had come out and brought him a small house to sit in when the days were particularly bad. He took shelter in it mostly during the winter, eyes watching the sidewalk diligently. Several times a week, he would play ball with the numerous children. He refused to let the fountain out of his sight though. The children grew but new ones would meet with him, giggling and laughing.

A cough began slowly and overtook him within a few days. He shivered in his house, only emerging to eat from the sun bleached dish and to relieve himself. Soon that became a chore and he curled up in the house indefinitely. A number of faces he knew tried to coax him out but he would shake his head and cough. If he left and she came by, she would think he had not kept his promise. He began to sleep most of the day away, opening his eyes only to see if she was there at the fountain. Breathing became painful but he kept his attention on his spot.

He opened his eyes, blinking against the sudden light. Stretching, he rolled onto his stomach and took a deep breath. He rose himself up on his feet, shaking off as he cocked his head. Looking up, he froze and stared. Slowly, he stepped out from the house, lowing questioningly.

A smile appeared on her face and she stood up, laughing. Her arms wrapped around his neck, hugging him tightly. "I've been waiting for you."


End file.
